S-iron-bending machine.



F. J. SGHROEDER.

$-IB.ON BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, 1912.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G Home F. J. SGHROEDER.

S'IRON BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16,1912.

Patented Man. 31, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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S-IEON BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, 1912.

1,091,540, Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

4 8HEET8-SHBET 3.

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FRANK J. SCHROEDER, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SIRON-BENDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

Application filed July 16, 1912. Serial No. 709,788.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK J. SCHROEDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at 1611 Fifth street, Alt-oona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in S-IronBending Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for manufacturing a device for use in connection with railway ties, commonly known as S irons, which are extensively used to drive into the ends of wood cross-ties to prevent the same from splitting, by which means the average life of cross-ties are materially prolonged.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a machine that automatically manufactures S irons ready for use from steel ribbon lengths.

Another object of this device is to provide means whereby the S irons, manufactured, are all of uniform size regardless of any unevenness in the thickness of the material from which the S irons are made.

With these and many other objects in view, which will be more readily apparent, as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully pointed out, illustrated and claimed.

The essential features of the invention involved in carrying out the objects above indicated, are, necessarily, susceptible to a wide range of structural modification without departing from thespirit or scope of the invention, but a preferred and practical embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1, is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2, is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a side elevation of the automatic feeding mechanism. Fig. 4 is a view of one of the feed rolls, together with the shaft and pinion for driving the same. Fig. 5, is an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6, is a side and edge view of the dog adapted to be used in connection with the automatic feed mechanism shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 7, is a view of the spiral spring used to rotate the feed rolls, shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. Fig. 8, illustrates a preferred method of applying the pressure on the to feed roll, such that any unevenness in 316 material will not affect the length of the ribbon from which the 8 iron is formed. Fig. 9 is a side view of the ratchet pawl, which is used in connection with the feed mechanism shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 10 is an edge view of the parts shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11, is a view in cross-section of the shear plate actuating mechanism. Fig. 12, is a plan and edge view of the shear plate bar. Fig. 13 is a perspective and side elevation of the link which actuates the knife holder. Figs. 1a and 15, are detail views of the link mechanism used in the shear plate actuating mechanism shown in Fig. 11. Fig. 16 is a side and end view of the shear plate adapted to fit and operate in conjunction with the parts shown in Figs. 11 and 12 of the drawings. Fig. 17 is a side and edge view of the shear plate bar casing, showing the spring stop against which helical springs adapted to retract the knife, after the ribbon is cut, abut. Fig. 18 is a view embodying a plan and elevation of the bed plate, the view in elevation illustrating roller guides, or cams adapted to receive roller stems which sup port the rollers while the 8 iron is being formed. Fig. 19, is a view showing the top, front and side of the cross-head which carries the roller stems upon which the roller is positioned. Fig. 20 embodies plan and elevation views of one of the 8 iron rollers. Fig. 21, embodies views of parts similar to that shown in Fig. 20 of the drawings, but of a modified form of roller. Fig. 22, embodies views of the cross-head guide adapted to receive the parts shown in Fig. 19 of the drawings. Fig. 23, is a plan, together with an edge view of the gravity hook, adapted to actuate, intermittently, the mechanism shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings. Fig. 24 embodies views of the cam, which is used to actuate the trip which disposes of the finished 8 iron. Fig. 25 embodies plan and side viewsof the gear used to actuate the link shown in Fig. 22 of the drawings. Fig. 26 embodies side and edge views of the rack used to rotate the gear and stem shown in Fig. 25 of the drawings. Fig. 27 embodies detail and sectional views of the rack support and guide. Fig. 28 is an enlarged View of the end of the rack shown in Fig. 26 of the drawings. Fig. 29 embodies side and edge views of the stationary knife support. Fig. 30 is a view of the shearing knife, similar to that shown in Fig. 16 of the drawings. Figs. 31 and 32 are side and edge views of the material-clamping device. Fig. 33 embodies side and edge views of the combined guide and die, which serve to guide the material to be formed by the rollers, which operate in cams or guides. Fig. 34

is an elevation and end view of the station This invention primarily consists of twocooperating parts, viz:the feeding -mech- 1 anism and the 8 iron bending mechanism.

The feeding mechanism designated in its entirety by the numeral 10, essentially consists of a plurality of co-acting feed rollers 11 and 12, the former being pressed against the latter by virtue of the spring 13, the tension of which is varied, as required, through the medium of the tension screw14, which protrudes through the top of the journal box guide 16. Through the medium of this tension device, the uneven thickness of the material does not effect the proper forming of the S irons.

Since the co-acting pressure rollers 11 and 12 effectively clamp the material, it is obvious that some means should be provided by which the rollers will rotate and feed the material into the forming mechanism, and to this end there is provided the shaft 17 upon which is mounted a pinion 18, adapted to engage a rack 19, which has a to-and-fro motion through the gear 20. In place of the gear wheel 20, a dog 21 shown in Fig. 6, may be used, the same being fastened to the main shaft 22 by a set screw 23. The shaft 17 has a spring casing 24 mounted thereon, which is designed to envelop a spring 25, one end, 25 thereof being securely fastened to the collar 26, which in turn is secured to the shaft 17 by the key The outer end 30 of the said spring being secured to the housing 27, which is bolted to the upper feed roll 12 by the bolts 25 The shaft 17 is further provided with a ratchet mechanism designated in its entirety by the numeral 28, which winds the spring 25, upon movement of the rack '19 in one direction, while a spring designated by the numeral 29 keeps the ratchet faces together and prevents the shaft from rotating, when the rack is drawn in the opposite direction. Since the shaft 17 is not free to rotate it is obvious that the rotation must necessarily take, place in the spring casing,

to which the end 30 of the spring 25 is at:v tached.

The outer face 31 of the casing 24 is provided with a smooth disk '32, against which fiber washers 33 are pressed through the .medium of the friction nut 34, adapted to b fitted to the threaded screw 35, which in turn is secured to the shaft 17.

From the above description itwill be obvious that the rapidity with which the feeding mechanism rotates depends upon the tension with which the spring 25 is wound; and also the amount of pressure-between the spring case and fiberwasher, which resistance impedes the recoil of the spring. When operating this machine it is the practice to adjust the friction nut 34, such, that the recoil of the spring is sufficient to rot-ate the feed rolls, such, that the end 'of the new piece of material from which the 8 iron is formed will strike the stop 36. At the time this material is forced against the stop 36, the forming rolls 37 and 38 occupy the posit-ions as shown by the dotted lines. This opens the passage for the material and at the same time the roller 38, engages the pendent arm 39 of the material clamping lever 40, which lever is fulcrumed at 41, while the end 42 engages a bifurcated pend: ent material guide 43, through the medium of the pin 44. The clamp 43 is provided with a slot 45, in which is positioned a spring 46, for retract-ing the clamp.

When the bending action begins, the rolls occupy the position shown by dotted lines. The top roll 38 striking the arm 40 to actuate the clamp 43 which moves downwardly, thus pushing the metal ribbon off the ledge 49' where it has been ever since the last 8 iron was bent. When. this end is pushed by the feed mechanism it passes on until it strikes the stop 36, immediately after which the*strip is cut from the main ribbon.

'For the purpose of shearing the material or cutting the piece from the roll of stock material there is provided a plurality of shearing edges 48 and 49, the former of which is designed to rise and press the piece to be cut against the stationary knife 49. For the purpose of actuating the knife 49, there is first provided a knife holder 50, which is provided with a slot 51, wherein is positioned a plurality of springs 52, adapted to abut upon a spring stop 53, rigidly secured to the holder casing 54. The oppo-' site end of the spring 52 is positionedon the face 55, of the knife holder 50. It is obvious that this arrangement of springs and spring stops with reference to the knife holder, will effectively retract the .holder when the resistance to the downward movement is removed holder 50, there is provided a sliding bar 56, the end 57 of which is adapted to be engaged by the end 58, of the gravity hook 59. The end 60 of the hook 59, is ada .ted to be secured by a machine screw, to t e rack 61, which has a to-and-fro motion, by virtue of the crank disk 62 and the connecting rod 63; the disk 62 being preferably positioned on a shaft 64, which is connected to the source of power by some approved and practical means.

With the backward motion of the rack 61, the surface of the gravity hook 59 en gages the surface 56 of the bar 56, and because of the inclined surface 56 the bar is forced outward, compressing the spring 65, and by virtue of the link element, designated in its entirety by the numeral 66, the knife holder 50 is thrust upward, and the material between the shearing edges is cut. The link element 66 is preferably made to consist of a plurality of links 67, which co-act with a spacer or bridge element 68, as clearly shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings.

lVith the forward motion of the rack 61, the curved surface 59 of the hook 59 strikes the edge 56 of the bar 56, the free end 59" of the hook is thus caused to rise and slide over the end 56 of the bar 56. At the instant the point 59 of the hook 59 has passed over the surface 56 of the bar 56 the free end of the hook drops down behind the surface 56, and the hook is again ready for the next backward motion of the rack to compress the spring 65.

The end of the material having been projected against the stop 36, and the act of shearing the material accomplished as stated above, it follows quite obviously that the bending process must next be accomplished, and to this end there is provided a plurality of rollers 37 and 38, positioned on the pins 69, which are preferably made integral with a sliding block 70, adapted to be positioned in a link 71, which in turn is securely fastened to the gear 72 and made operative through the medium of the rack 61, which connects to the source of power.

It will be obvious that since the link is p0- sitioned on the gear, and the blocks are free to move in the link, it follows that the stem 73 will move in the cam slot 74 when the gear is rotated, and by this means the roller of the long arm is designed to bear against the plunger 82, adapted to fit in the opening 83 of the shaft 84, as shown in Fig. 25 of the drawings. The plunger 82, is provided with a shoulder 85, against which a spring 86 abuts; the function of this spring being to retract the point 87, after the finished product is pushed out of the machine.

The operation of the machine may be briefly described as follows: The power necessary to drive the machine is transmitted through the shaft 64, the rotation of which also actuates the disk 62, thus giving the rack 61 a reciprocating motion which in turn transmits the same to the gear wheel 72 which has secured thereto the link member 71 that carries the sliding blocks 70. The axles 69 of the said blocks carry the roll ers 37 and 38 which are caused to work in the curved slots 74 of a frame member F upon the movement of the gear wheel 72. Upon the forward movement of the rack 61 the bending rollers are pushed to the beginning of their slots, and the ri ht hand roller 38 strikes the arm 40 which actuates the clamp 43 and pushes the metal ribbon off of the ledge 49*, whereupon the feed roller 12 which is under spring tension rotates and pushes the metal ribbon through the space between the former heads 75 until it strikes the stop 36. When the rack 61 has completed its forward movement the hook 59 is behind the inclined face 56 of the bar 56, and upon the backward movement of the rack the bar 56 is pushed outwardly so that the link element 66 which carries the knife 49 is forced upwardly thereby cutting the piece of metal from which the 8 iron is to be made from its stock. The continued backward movement of the rack 61 turns the gear 72 which bends the 8 iron around the former heads 75, through the medium of the parts heretofore described in the specification. The gear wheel 72 is mounted upon the same hollow shaft 84 that the gear wheel 20 is, which latter is in mesh with the rack 19 that in turn is in mesh with the pinion 18 of the shaft 17. Thus, it is evident that the spring 25 which is connected with the shaft 17 and by means of the casing 24 to the feed roller 12, is wound up upon the backward movement of the rack 61, and thereby made ready for feeding the next portion of the metal to the bending rollers and shearing device. By the time the rack 61 has been pulled all the way back and the forming rollers 38 and 39 are at the end of their slots and assuming an almost vertical position and the S iion completely formed; the cam disk 77 pushes the rod 78 which in turn operates the means whereby the plun- .ger point 87 pushes the finished product from the machine.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the many advantages of the herein described S iron bending machine will be readily apparent without further description or elaboration, and

What I claim and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is 1. A machine for bending metal comprising a frame having oppositely disposed angular slots, forming heads arranged on one side of the frame at the angle of the slots and forming a guide for the metal, bending means operatively arranged on the other side of the frame and including bending elements adapted to project through the slots of the frame and having both a vertical and substantially a horizontal movement about said forming heads, means for auto matically feeding the metal to be bent to the bending means at predetermined vintervals, a device for cutting the metal into bending lengths, and means for ejecting the finished 8 iron.

2. A machine for bending metal comprising a slotted frame, a gear arranged at one side of the frame, bending elements slidably mounted on the gear and adapted to Work in the slotted frame, a forming die arranged on the other side of the frame and cooperating with the bending elements, means for operating the said gear to actuate the bending elements, means for auto--.'

matically feeding the metal to be bent'to the forming 'die and bending elements, a device for cutting the metal into bending lengths actuated by the means for operating the said gear, and a mechanism for ejecting the finished 8 iron. q

3. A machine for making S irons including reciprocating bending means, comprisin a gear Wheel, a link secured thereto, block slidable in the link, pins projecting from the blocks, rollers mounted upon the said pins, means for operating the bending means, former heads about which the reciprocating bending means is adapted to move, means for feeding metal to the bending element and means for ejecting the finished S iron.-

4. A machine for making 8 irons including reciprocating bending elements, means for operating the said elements, a forming die adapted to cooperate with the said bending elements to form the 8 iron, means for feeding the metal to the bending elements, said means comprising feed rollers, one of which is resiliently mounted, a shaft on which the upper feed roller is mounted, a

spring connected to said shaft and to the said upper feed roller, and adapted to operate the latter when the tension thereof is released, means for cutting the metal, and -means for ejecting the finished 3 iron.

5. A machine for bending metal, including a reciprocating bending element, means for operating the latter, a shaft associated therewith, means for feeding the metal to be bent, said means comprising a roller shaft, a spring actuated roller mounted on one end, a ratchet device for Winding the spring, and a gear wheel also on the shaft, a shaft associated with the bending element,

a rack meshing with the gear wheel on the feed roller shaft, means on the shaft for actuating the rack, and thereby operating the metal feeding means, means for cutting the metal in bending lengths, and means for ejecting the bent metal.

6. A machine for bending metal includ ing a reciprocating bending element, means for operating the same, a mechanism for feeding the metal to the bending element, and means for cutting the metal into bending lengths, said means comprising a pendent material guide adapted to be operated by one of the rolls on the bending element, a stationary cutting edge, a movable cutting edge actuated by the means that operates the reciprocating bending element, and means for ejecting the bent metal.

7. A machine for bending metal comprising a reciprocating, bending element, said element including a hollow shaft, means for operating the bending element, a mechanism for feeding the metal to the bendlng element, a device for cutting the metal into bending lengths, and means for ejecting the bent metal from the machine, said means embodying a shaft that is common to the means for operating the bending element and ejecting mechanism, a cam disk mounted upon the shaft, a plunger rod adapted to be struck by the cam disk, a bell crank operatively connected to the plunger rod and having an extended arm, a second plunger for ejecting the bent metal operating in the hollow shaft associated with the bending element, said second plunger adapted to be pushed forward by the extended arm ofthe bell crank, and a spring for replacing the second plunger in normal posltlon.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signaturev N.v E. GEE, ADAM LEAKE. 

